Mechanically driven ratchet wrench

ABSTRACT

A mechanically driven ratchet wrench which has a main body and handle rotatably mounted thereon. The handle coacts with a slide member which in turn acts upon a gear rotatably mounted on the main body. The gear receives socket inserts. Thus, squeezing of the handle rotates the socket inserts which will tighten or loosen bolts or nuts. The wrench can also be used by physically twisting it.

United States atet 1 Williams et a1.

[451 Apr. 10, 1973 1 MECHANICALLY DRIVEN RATCHET WRENCH [75] Inventors: James C. Williams, Cypress; Karl T. Purdy, Chula Vista; Le Moyne D. Gobel, Norwalk, all of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Consumer & Industrial Tools Corporation, Cerritos, Calif.

[22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 184,006

[52] US. Cl ..8l/60, 81/581 [51] Int. Cl. ..B25b 13/46 [58] Field of Search ..81/58.1, 60, 63.1,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,682,008 8/1972 Teichmeier .8l/58.1 3,286,560 11/1966 Murray ..81/58.l

Primary ExaminerRobert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-James G. Smith Attorney-William N. Hogg [5 7 ABSTRACT A mechanically driven ratchet wrench which has a main body and handle rotatably mounted thereon. The handle coacts with a slide member which in turn acts upon a gear rotatably mounted on the main body. The gear receives socket inserts. Thus, squeezing of the handle rotates the socket inserts which will tighten or loosen bolts or nuts. The wrench can also be used by physically twisting it.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MECHANICALLY DRIVEN RATCI'IET WRENCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to ratchet wrenches and more particularly to mechanically driven ratchet wrenches.

There have been many prior art proposals for various types of ratchet wrenches. In most cases these wrenches are configured to drive in one direction of rotation and override or ratchet in the opposite direction of rotation. Such configuration requires the actual physical turning of the wrench body itself to effect the driving action and thus requires a substantial amount of space.

For confined space use there have been several prior art proposals of mechanically driven ratchet wrenches which utilize a squeezing action of the handle to provide the driving force for actuation of the wrench. However, all of these prior art proposals have had serious drawbacks. Many of these wrenches developed rather low driving force making their use rather limited. In others the design was such the commercial use was impractical at reasonable cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention a mechanically actuated ratchet wrench is provided which is operable by a squeezing action of the handle. The wrench includes an actuating slide which is slidably mounted on a pin and-operable by the handle to move in driving engagement with the gear. The pin acts both as guide and a pivot fulcrum for maintaining the slide in engagement with the gear. The gear is provided with a central aperature and a leaf spring detent to releasably secure various size socket inserts in the aperature. The invention also contemplates the use of the wrench by manual twisting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wrench according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with one plate broken away, showing the interior of the wrench with the parts depicted in solid outline in the open position and in dotted outline in the squeezed position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gear portion of the wrench;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane designated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a socket insert.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, the mechanically driven ratchet wrench of this invention includes a main body designated generally as formed of a pair of spaced flat side plates 12 and 14. The main body 10 has a forward end portion 16 with an opening or space 18 defined between the plates 12 and 14. The main body 10 also has a rearward end portion 20, with a filler bar 22 disposed between the plates 12 and 14. Connecting pins 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 23E, and 23F extend between the side plates and hold the plates in their spaced relationship.

A drive gear 24 is journaled for rotation in bores (unnumbered) in the forward end 16 of the body and disposed in the space 18 between the plates 12 and 14. The gear 24 has gear teeth 25 thereon and a central aperature 26 adapted to receive therein socket inserts one of which is shown and designated 28 in FIG. 5. The socket inserts 28 will have different interior sizes and configurations for different sizes and configurations of bolts, the outside configuration being the same for each insert as is well known in the art.

In order to releasably secure the socket inserts 28 in the aperature 26 a recess 30 is provided in the aperature 26 in which is disposed a detent spring 32 which extends axially of the aperature 26 and projects from the recess 30 as can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The leaf spring 32 will releasably secure the socket inserts 28 within the aperature 26 to thus provide interchangeable inserts for different configuration and size nuts and bolt heads.

An actuating slide 36 is disposed within the opening 18 between the plates 12 and 14 in the forward end 16 of the wrench. The actuating slide 36 is provided with an angular guide slot 38 which slidably guides the actuating slide 36 on a guide pin 40 extending between the plates 12 and 14 within the opening 18. The forward end of the actuating slide 36 is provided with teeth 42 which engage the gear teeth 25.

The opposite end of the actuating slide 36 has a cam follower surface 44 which cooperates with cam surface 46 formed on the end of actuating handle 48. The actuating handle 48 is pivotly mounted on the connecting pin 23C and is movable pivotly thereon. A return spring 50, in the form of a coil spring under compression, is disposed in the guide slot 38 and bears against the guide pin 40 and the rear end of the guide slot 38 thus urging the cam surface 44 on the actuating slide 36 into engagement with the cam surface 46 on the actuating handle 48. The open position of the handle 48 is defined by abuttment of the handle against the end surface 52 of the filler bar 22. The use of a coilspring under compression, and captivated in the slot provides a strong action, while resisting spring deterioration.

In operation the proper socket insert 28 is first selected and inserted into the aperature 26. The insert is then placed over the nut and the handle 48 squeezed from theposition shown in solid outline to the position shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2. This will, through the coaction of cam and cam follower surfaces 44 and 46 drive the operating slide from the position shown in solid outline -in FIG. 2 to the position shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2. The movement of the slide is guided by the connecting pin 23D bearing against the side of the actuating slide 36 and the guide pin 40 causing the actuating slide 36 to move in a path which will maintain the teeth 42 in positive engagement to the gear teeth 25 thus rotating the drive gear 24. In this respect the angular configuration of the guide slot 38will cause the path of movement of the actuating slide to be such that the teeth 42 will maintain contact with the gear teeth 25 which are moving in an arcuate path. The angle slot, comprised of two straight portions will approximate an arcuate movement sufficiently well over the limited distance to maintain the teeth properly meshing. Of course an arcuate slot could be provided to provide true arcuate movement of the teeth 42 on the slide 36.

However, it is easier to machine an angle slot than an arcuate slot and such angle slot provides a sufficiently close approximation into arcuate movement over this distance to operate satisfactorily. Hence, the term angle or angular slot as used herein, includes an arcuate configuration.

After handle 48 has been squeezed to its closed position rotating the drive gear 24, it is then released. The return spring 50 will urge the actuating slide 36 to left as seen in FIG. 2. This, through the coaction of cam and cam follower surfaces 44 and 46, will cause the handle 48 to pivot to its open position shown in solid outline in FIG. 2 with gear teeth 42 overriding the gear teeth 25. The wrench is then ready for the next cycle of operation.

In order to release the direction the wrench need merely be turned over and it will operate in the reverse direction thus obviating any need for reversing pawls.

In order to operate the wrench as a conventional wrench; i.e., by twisting the main body to apply the force, the handle 48 is squeezed to its closed position and the wrench inserted over the nut or bolt head and force applied. The wrench can be ratcheted in this closed position.

What is claimed is:

1. A ratchet wrench comprising, an elongated body having a forward end and a rearward end, said forward end having a pair of spaced plates defining an opening therebetween, a gear member having peripheral teeth and being rotatably mounted between said plates in said forward end, said gear member having a central aperature disposed to removably receive socket inserts detent means for holding said sockets inserts in said aperature an actuating slide disposed in said opening, said slide having a guide slot formed therein, a guide pin carried by said body and extending into said slot and guiding said slide for reciprocal movement on a path of travel, said slide having teeth at one end thereof disposed to engage to gear teeth and rotate the gear upon movement of the slide in one direction and override the gear teeth upon movement in the other direction, said slide having a cam follower surface on the opposite end, an actuating handle mounted centrally on said body and being movable between an open position and a closed position, said handle having a cam surface on one end thereof in engagement with said cam follower surface of the slide member, said cam surface and cam follower surface being configured to drive said slide in said one direction on said path of travel when said handle is pivoted toward said closed position, and spring means disposed in said slot normally biasing the slide in said other direction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said slot is an angular slot.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said detent means includes a recess formed in one wall defining said aperature and extending axially parallel thereto, and a wire spring carried by said gear with the central portion thereof extending into said aperature. 

1. A ratchet wrench comprising, an elongated body having a forward end and a rearward end, said forward end having a pair of spaced plates defining an opening therebetween, a gear member having peripheral teeth and being rotatably mounted between said plates in said forward end, said gear member having a central aperature disposed to removably receive socket inserts detent means for holding said sockets inserts in said aperature an actuating slide disposed in said opening, said slide having a guide slot formed therein, a guide pin carried by said body and extending into said slot and guiding said slide for reciprocal movement on a path of travel, said slide having teeth at one end thereof disposed to engage to gear teeth and rotate the gear upon movement of the slide in one direction and override the gear teeth upon movement in the other direction, said slide having a cam follower surface on the opposite end, an actuating handle mounted centrally on said body and being movable between an open position and a closed position, said handle having a cam surface on one end thereof in engagement with said cam follower surface of the slide member, said cam surface and cam follower surface being configured to drive said slide in said one direction on said path of travel when said handle is pivoted toward said closed position, and spring means disposed in said slot normally biasing the slide in said other direction.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said slot is an angular slot.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said detent means includes a recess formed in one wall defining said aperature and extending axially parallel thereto, and a wire spring carried by said gear with the central portion thereof extending into said aperature. 